"Depression is connected with the past, anxiety latches on to the future, but holding a camera — being alert to the world around us — is the antidote to all that. Photography helps keep one in the present." (Quote by Karen Molson)

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Plucking & Bowing

One thing I have wanted to do is to take still life photos of musical instruments. I have done a few of these in the past, but have never been completely satisfied with the results. Someone I know, who enjoys collecting and playing string instruments, mentioned to me that he would like to replace the pictures in his office with photos of musical instruments. I suggested that he used his instruments and from that brief conversation a new photography project was born.

He had no specific instructions on how he wants the instruments photographed, so that gave me much leeway to experiment.

One thing I noticed about the instruments was the feeling that some of them “talked” to me, while others were just nice to look at and photograph. Here are the results so far — and I still have others to do in the future.

Hi Laureen … thanks for the compliment about the photos. I like your suggestion, but I don’t believe it is feasible. I would need the instruments in my studio for several weeks so I can get the composition and lighting right. I discovered that each instrument requires quite a different lighting set up to bring out the best in the grain of the wood. As for composition, I set up each image and then left it for a few days before coming back to photograph. And sometimes after a few days, what I wanted to say in the photo just didn’t work for me so I had to try again. Plus when I started taking the photos, I literally spent 5 or 6 hours on one instrument. Bottom line, I would want the instruments in my studio and I would want the time alone to work with each instrument. I was fortunate that the person who owns the instruments in the photos trusted me implicitly. There is also an issue that some local Ottawa musicians have seen these photos and want me to do their instruments – and they are willing to pay me good bucks for doing the work, and I’m interested. Sorry … Cat